August 28, 2002 The city of Cleveland has joined other jurisdictions in filing a class-action lawsuit against Ford Motor Co. on behalf of law enforcement agencies across Ohio, charging that the Ford Crown Victoria police car is prone to fuel tank fires in rear-end collisions.
The lawsuit lists seven separate fuel tank fires involving deaths and injuries during 2000 and 2001, although none occurred in Ohio. Similar suits have been filed in Texas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida.
Ford has set up two study panels to try to find a solution to the problem. It is said to be considering placing foam-filled bladders around the fuel tank to block fuel from leaking and causing a disastrous fire or explosion after a collision.
"This is a very serious situation for us and we're treating it with urgency," a Ford spokesman said.
The city of Cleveland has 481 Crown Victoria police cars, the suit said. The mayor, Jane Campbell, also has a Crown Victoria as her official car.
Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use
Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.
Company Response Welcome If complaints about your company appear on our site, we welcome your response. Please see the Response Form for more information.
For more information, see the FAQ and privacy policy. The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice. ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof.
